Dinner with Rush Limbaugh

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, May 3, 2009

Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif.

Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif.

Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle

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radio host Rush Limbaugh collected $38 mil?lion? last year NOVI, MI - MAY 3: Radio talk show host and conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh speaks at "An Evenining With Rush Limbaugh" event May 3, 2007 in Novi, Michigan. The event was sponsored by WJR radio station as part of their 85th birthday celebration festivities. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) less

radio host Rush Limbaugh collected $38 mil?lion? last year NOVI, MI - MAY 3: Radio talk show host and conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh speaks at "An Evenining With Rush Limbaugh" event May 3, 2007 in ... more

Photo: Bill Pugliano, Getty Images

Image 3 of 3

Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on: 05-10-2009

Former Mayor Willie Brown poses for a portrait at his apartment in the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday July 31, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on: 10-05-2008 Ran on:

I told them, "If you're dead set on grading him, you've gotta give him an 'A' because he's got every one of us talking about him."

And believe it or not, Rush gave me a high five!

We all had dinner together before the event. You know, Rush Limbaugh is a very shy guy when he gets away from a microphone. We reminisced about our being in Sacramento years back, but even in one-on-one meetings, Rush gives talk-show answers.

I had lunch with our governor Thursday. He didn't seem bothered at all that his five measures on the May 19 ballot are doing so poorly in the polls.

He ate a full meal, enjoyed all the back and forth. He asked me what I thought of commercials for the measures.

I told him they were lousy.

They don't have any punch. You ought to try to get "Jack Bauer" to do a commercial. You ought to try to get that guy from "House" to do a commercial. You ought to try to get the guy who's being kicked off "American Idol" next week to do a commercial.

Well, I've since learned that the Musée Picasso in Paris will soon be undergoing repairs and has decided to allow the de Young to be the parking station for its prize collection during construction as well.

Now, nothing ticks off the Museum of Modern Art more than to have both those contemporary collections showing up at the de Young. But that's what you can do when you've got Dede Wilsey running the de Young's show.

Like all the others who have let me have it the last few days, Blanche was upset that I wrote last week regarding Oakland's School for the Arts, "I would love to have that institution in our city."

"You obviously are slipping," Blanche said. "We have a School of the Arts."

I said, I know that, Blanche.

Obviously, my writing missed the point. What I meant to say was that no one has pushed - at least to my knowledge - to advertise our school and tell the world that it is as glamorous or attractive as Oakland's.

The good word is that they are trying to raise the money to bring the school to the Civic Center area where it belongs.

First off, somebody must think people who do films just love to drink, because they bumped the cocktail party from an hour to an hour and a half. Not a good idea; everyone was beyond the limit.

Second, the sound system couldn't be heard.

Being the open and direct person that I am, I pointed out these shortcomings and was almost asked to leave.

Please, folks, next year stick to your schedule, fix the technical glitches and make this the Big Event that it should be.

On the other hand: The SF Jazz Gala at the Four Seasons the other night was quite the party, with elevated seating, incredible lighting, wonderful sound and a group of teenage players who had McCoy Tyner tapping in time.

This gala is definitely on its way to becoming an annual San Francisco must. Hooray for Robert Mailer Anderson, the man responsible for bringing it all together.

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